We also offer a wide variety of products and publications - from llama poo plant tea fertilizer, to straw bale needles (essential for constructing your own cottage in the woods) to a wide variety of publications (including electronic versions to save on shipping and the chopping down of trees).

Construction began in 1996 on our 2,200 sq ft home made of tires, bottles, and assorted salvaged materials. Designed by famed architect Michael Reynolds, the Earthship at Blue Rock Station was the first built east of the Mississippi.

Tour Ohio's First Earthship

Schedule a private tour, or join us at one of 9 open day tours in 2017.

Visit Blue Rock Station to get ideas on how to create a sustainable living way of life, or just to marvel at the various construction techniques. Tour the 2,200 square foot house, currently under construction (always under construction... sigh!) that utilizes tires, cans, old barn wood, bottles and mud to form a home heated by the sun, earth and wood.

We will...

Tour the Earthship - a 2,200 sq. ft. home made of tires, cans, bottles, salvaged lumber, mud, sand, sweat and tears. Annie & Jay will explain the various construction techniques and how the building uses the earth and sun to provide a comfortable place to live.

Attend Goat College

The sun is out, the goats are sitting in the shade - and we're inviting you to join us to learn more about goat keeping.

Goat keeping is a growing trend in both urban and rural areas, and we're receiving a growing number of inquiries about how to take care of goats naturally. Folks who want to become goat keepers seem to be at a loss as to where they can learn the basics that will help them to gain confidence in maintaining the health of a goat, milking, trimming hooves and more. And if they have an interest in naturally healthy goats where can they learn how to avoid some needlessly costly vet services?

NEW: Serenity Series - Goat Yoga and More

HOW AND WHY THE GOATS BECAME INTERESTED IN YOGA

Shawn Fiegelist and Annie Warmke are chums who share an interest in bringing people together to build community. In late 2016, they noticed feelings of anxiety and general nervousness in their circle of friends, neighbors and colleagues and began to talk about what was happening and how to change the dynamics. Annie has a practice of using her animals as therapy and had recently found a yoga class that included goats to help participants relax and practice calmness. Shawn has long been interested in and practiced yoga and meditation and was delighted to hear about the use of goats in yoga. They introduced the idea to the goats, who of course were immediately on board, and this is how the goats became interested in yoga and the Serenity Series was created

WHAT IS THE SERENITY SERIES?

This Blue Rock Station series will show you how to bring awareness and balance to your everyday life while taking time to connect with others, nature and animals. You are welcome to sign up for one, or all of the sessions. A simple seasonal meal is a part of the shared time to offer nourishment to the body in a communal way.

WHY?

Self-care is critical to long term health and happiness. If we are to go the distance in a healthy and whole manner, we must take time for ourselves. Giving us a pause to reflect on our challenges creates balance, stability and healing of the soul. It offers us resiliency at a time when we need it the most in life.

Goats are unique critters, eager to connect with humans and offer a goat kid smile or a nudge to prove it. The goat kids that will interact with you were born this winter and have spent their lives being nurtured by their mothers and the humans that work with them.

HOW?

Each session will offer participants an opportunity to connect to each other, nature and the animals of Blue Rock Station through simple yoga stretches , meditation, art and nature plus a simple seasonal meal. At Blue Rock Station we are keenly aware of dietary needs including gluten and lactose. Each participant will leave with some simple gifts to serve as reminders to breathe and reach for your sense of calm and resiliency when you return to your busy life.

5-Day Solar Electric (Photovoltaics) Certification Workshops

Prepares Students to Sit for the ETA Level 1 PV Certification Exam

Overall Course Rating in 2016:

3.90 (out of 4.0)

Want to learn how to install solar? Maybe you even want to become certified to work in the solar field. Now you can spend just five days of training (4 1/2 classroom instruction and 1/2 day taking the certification test) in a location near you - to realize your goal. We have quite a selection of courses set for 2017 - located across the state (and even in Pennsylvania and Indiana).

A recent study shows that Solar jobs are growing at a rate 10 times the national average - and that PV installers average starting salaries are in the $20-24 per hour range (about $40,000 - $48,000 per year). According to the 2017 US Energy and Employment Report, more people now work in the US solar industry than in oil, natural gas, and coal extraction - combined.

ETA Examination fees (normally $150) and course materials (installation toolkit and student workbook - also valued at around $150) are included as part of the course fee.

Free School Workshops - 2017

New for 2017, Blue Rock Station has launched our “Free School” program. The only cost is bringing a food dish of some sort for the group to share during class.

The goal of the free school is to offer two-three hours of instruction on the third Saturday of each month. The classes will be taught by former interns and friends of Blue Rock Station. Topics will focus on everyday skills like wood working, bicycle repair, plumbing, sewing, natural health, first aid, self-care, using herbs, simple gardening techniques and spirituality.

During the warm months attendees can stay the night by camping. The evening will include a film and discussion or learning an art form (such as swing dance).

Attendance is by invitation (from us or another friend of BRS) or by getting in touch with Blue Rock Station by telephone (740-674-4300) to register. So if one of the following items is of interest to you – let us know and mark your calendar.

October 21st - Day of the Dead Celebration and making tamales with Eduardo Sandavol

November 18th - To be determined

December 16th -Celebrate Yule at Blue Rock Station

TIny House & Earthship Building

Two Sustainable Construction Workshop Series for 2017

We are offering two sustainable construction workshops series in 2017. The first is the return of our popular Earthships 101 course, where those who are interested in building an earthship can come to Blue Rock Station, spend the weekend in one of our straw bale cabins, and get an in-depth overview of what is involved in building one of these lovely homes.

Our second construction project is new this year. Our aim is to build a Tiny House. However one of our concerns or disappointments with the whole tiny house movement is that they seem to have morphed into amazingly expensive little buildings. So our goal is to build this house with as little money as possible - or our dumpster dive tiny house project, if you will.